This I Promise
by Celtic Knot
Summary: A short vignette about Luke and Mara's wedding. Considering what Darth Pickles and I are doing to him in 'The Nature of the Force,' I decided Luke deserved a little happiness from my pen. Total fluff.


**This I Promise**

Luke Skywalker awoke with a cry and sat bolt upright, gasping. He ran a hand through his sweat-soaked light brown hair as he shook off the effects of a particularly ghastly nightmare. Pre-wedding jitters. He glanced at the chronometer on the wall: 0600. If he didn't get up now, he was going to be late.

As he showered and dressed, he felt as if he were still dreaming. He couldn't quite believe it. He was about to marry Mara Jade.

Finally ready, he left for the Great Hall. He felt a sense of finality as he shut the door behind him, as if he was closing it on another chapter of his life.

Through the doors of the Great Hall lay the next.

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Leia Organa Solo mumbled around a mouthful of hairpins.

Mara Jade soon-to-be Skywalker struggled into her wedding dress as Leia twined a white ribbon into her fiery red-gold hair. You realize I'm only doing this because I love your brother.Hang on, I'm almost done there. Leia stepped back to examine her handiwork–the traditional Coruscant wedding bow.

Mara tilted her head back as she zipped the dress up behind her, then looked down to smooth out the front. To her dismay, she felt something tug at the back of her head, and her hair came loose and fell around her face. Oh, blast it! She disentangled the strip of white fabric from the zipper, and turned to her future sister-in-law with the ribbon dangling helplessly from her hand. 

Leia laughed as she retied the bow.

You know, there's something very wrong when there are more yards of ribbon in your hair than fabric in your wedding dress, Mara griped.

Oh, stop exaggerating, Leia scolded good-naturedly as she finished tying the complex bow. She turned Mara around to look at her from the front. You're beautiful. Luke won't be able to take his eyes off you.

Mara glanced in the mirror and did a double take. Dressed in white, with her hair pulled back, she looked younger. Softer.

It still didn't seem quite real. She was about to marry Luke Skywalker.

Leia clapped her hands once. Oh, I almost forgot! She opened a drawer and pulled out a palm-sized velvet box. A wedding present from me and Han.

Mara opened the box and gasped. Inside lay the most beautiful necklace she'd ever seen. An emerald pendant, cut in a starburst pattern and exactly the color of Mara's eyes, hung from a white gold chain, accented with strands of diamonds. The gems burned like frozen flames in the room's soft light. Oh, Leia it's too much. I can't–You can and you will. Leia fastened the jewelry around Mara's neck and stepped back. Immediately, her face fell. Oh, no'Oh, no'? What do you mean, oh, no'? Mara demanded.

I'm going to look downright frumpy next to you.

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The ceremony was small, and the Great Hall seemed cavernous. But instead of being oppressive, the openness felt airy and exhilarating. Mara was absolutely resplendent in her white dress, with the emerald glittering at her throat. Luke's voice echoed through the building as he made his vows.

I only see because you opened my eyes to the light. I only hear because you taught me how to listen to the music. You are my light, my life, my everything. I trust you with my very soul, and, should you have similar faith in me, I will never betray you. This I promise, and to this I will hold, until the stars fall from the heavens and time ends.

A tear slipped down Mara's face. You sentimental farmboy, she whispered so only Luke would hear. She took a deep breath and said her own vows, less flowery than Luke's, but just as heartfelt. The path before us is difficult to see. We don't know what lies ahead of us, or who we will meet on the journey. Only one thing is assured: we will make that journey together.

The master of ceremonies wrapped up the service, and finally said to Luke, You may kiss the bride.

Luke took his wife–his wife!–in his arms and spun her around as the guests applauded. At that moment, he was the happiest man in the galaxy.

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Mara's dizziness had nothing and everything to do with Luke having swept her off her feet. She put her hands on his face and kissed him fiercely as the Great Hall whirled around her. At that moment, Mara Jade Skywalker was the happiest woman in the galaxy.


End file.
